Honor mom with a delightful gourmet supper

Though many folks like to honor their mothers on her special day with dinner out, some prefer preparing a lovely meaningful at-home repast. If that’s the case for you, here’s a delightful menu idea that won’t keep you chained to the stove.

Coincidentally, walnuts are featured in both of our main dish recipes, but they offer just the right touch to each.

Add our elegant asparagus salad, a smashing dessert, and enjoy!

Jasmine Rice With

Walnuts & Scallions

2 cups Jasmine rice (13 ounces)

2 cups water

1 cup vegetable stock (or water)

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup well-chopped walnuts

2/3 cup finely chopped green onions and tops

2 tablespoons lemon zest

Butter

Wash rice in cold water then drain in a sieve. Bring rice, water, broth and salt to boil in a 3-4-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 12-18 minutes.

Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with fork, then stir in walnuts, greens and zest.

Stir in a teaspoon of butter if dish seems dry. Serve.

Note: You can use any favorite rice — brown, wild, or a combination, as you wish.

Lemon & Nut-Crusted Halibut

½ cup walnuts, fairly finely chopped

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon fresh ground pepper

2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves (or rosemary, fennel, tarragon)

1 tablespoon olive or nut oil

4 fillets fresh halibut, skin and bones removed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine nuts, lemon zest, pepper and herb of choice and spread over a platter or large plate. Place halibut onto mixture, pressing well to coat.

Heat oil in an oven-proof pan and cook halibut, crusted side down, for 1-2 minutes until nuts are golden brown. With large spatula, turn halibut over and cook for another minute. Flesh should be moist and tender inside. Serve immediately.

Note: Halibut cooks quickly, so do NOT overcook. When turning over, make sure oil is evenly distributed on fry-pan surface. This is delicious!

Asparagus With Lemon-Rosemary Vinaigrette

(For six)

1-2 lemons

2 pounds asparagus, trimmed

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 cup olive oil

Squeeze lemons for 1/3 cup of juice. Peel one, (yellow part only) and cut into very thin strips. Cook lemon peel in large pot of boiling salted water 3 minutes.

Transfer to plate; return pot w/water to boil. Add asparagus and cook until crisp tender, about 4 minutes, drain and refresh under cold water.

Drain again and cool. Whisk lemon juice, rosemary and garlic in small bowl; gradually add olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange asparagus prettily on platter, spoon vinaigrette over evenly; sprinkle with lemon peel. Serve.

Our illustration shows the perfect dessert — a light and fruity “jelly” to balance the substantial entrees. Make this in the morning to chill for dinnertime.

Prosecco/Fruit

Terrine

(For eight)

4 cups of three or four mixed fresh fruits in season — berries, peeled and thinly sliced sliced papaya, mango, or peaches, pineapple tidbits, halved seedless grapes, mandarin orange sections, etc.

2 ½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin

2 cups Prosecco (Italian sparkling white wine)

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Prepare fruit and arrange attractively in a 1½ -quart glass or nonstick loaf or fluted pan.*

Sprinkle gelatin over ¼ cup Prosecco in a small bowl and let stand for a minute or two to soften.

In a small pan, bring 1 cup Prosecco to a boil with the sugar, stirring until dissolved, Remove from heat and add gelatin mixture, stirring until dissolved.

Stir in remaining Prosecco and lemon juice, then set pan into a larger pan or bowl of ice and cold water. Cool mixture, stirring occasionally, just to room temperature.

Slowly pour mixture evenly over fruit, then chill, covered, until firm, at least 6 hours.

To unmold, dip container bottom in a larger pan of hot water 3-5 seconds to loosen. Invert a cold serving plate over top and invert terrine onto the plate.

* If you wish, you may use individual custard cups or dessert molds instead of the large loaf. To do this, spoon a tablespoon of the gelatin into four-to-six molds, arrange the fruit, then pour gelatin evenly over each. Chill covered at least six hours before unmolding onto pretty serving plates.

Tip: A chilled flute of the Prosecco makes a delightful accompaniment to the terrine.

Happy Mother’s Day to all our beloved mamas, including those in Heaven!